My Little Deutschland
by MrsBeilschmidt3
Summary: A series of drabbles about Big Brother Prussia and little!Germany. Brotherly fluff.
1. First Day of School

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Prussia sighed as he shut off his alarm clock. He was so tempted to hit snooze, or maybe just sleep all day, but that was no longer an option for the exhausted albino nation. Today was little Germany's first day of kindergarten, and Prussia had to be up early to get him ready.

He walked into his little brother's bedroom and turned on the light, smiling at the sleeping face of the little blonde nation. "West," he whispered gently, pushing his brother's hair out of his face and kissing his forehead. "It's time to wake up for school."

Germany's eyes opened and he gave a tiny, squeaky yawn, sitting up and reaching out his arms to Prussia. Prussia scooped him up and set him on the floor, getting the school clothes he had bought for him out of the closet. He helped Germany into his little black shorts and suspenders above a white shirt. He'd bought him strap-on shoes because Germany was only five and had a hard time tying them. He knew he should be teaching him how to tie his shoes, but for today, he would wear these.

He led his brother into the kitchen for breakfast and heard the soft sound of him sniffling. He turned around to see the little tears rolling down those soft cheeks. He knelt down in front of him and used his sleeve to wipe Germany's eyes. "What's wrong, West?" he asked softly, hating to see his baby brother cry. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't wanna go to school," Germany whimpered, standing between Prussia's squatted legs and reaching his arms up around his big brother's neck. "I'm scared of all the bigger kids, they'll pick on me and you won't be there to protect me."

Prussia sighed and held Germany on his hip as he got some breakfast sausages out of the freezer and placed them in the microwave. "Don't you worry, little brother, I'm sure the teachers will take care of you there but if anyone is mean you tell big brother Prussia and I'll come and personally make sure they never pick on my baby brother again."

Germany nodded and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Danke, Prussia."

"Hey, that's what big brothers are for." The microwave beeped and Prussia took the sausages out and put them on a plate at Germany's seat. "Now, eat your breakfast so we can go to school."

Germany sat down obediently and Prussia smiled, remembering his own first day of school. Of course, he was pretty sure that everybody would think he was the most awesome kid there, but still, it was intimidating, and must be more so for a shy kid like Germany. But it would be good for him. Maybe his little brother would make some friends, and then he'd have kids his own age to come over and play…

Prussia stopped smiling as an image of twenty shrieking children running around his house spilling and breaking things popped up in his mind. He rubbed his temples. _Mein gott,_ he thought, _the things I do for my little brother._


	2. Christmas

"Big bruder, big bruder, wake up!"

Prussia groaned as one eyelid was pulled open by Germany's moist, chubby little fingers. He blinked until his vision cleared from the blur of morning and saw his little brother standing on his bed. "It's snowing! It's snowing!" Germany yelled excitedly, clapping his little lands together and jumping up and down.

"Awesome," said Prussia without enthusiasm, "now let me sleep."

"But big _bruder…"_ Germany whined. Prussia looked up. His little brother's eyes were big and sad, and he knew that Germany was a bit of a crybaby and would be crushed if he didn't take him out in the snow. So, sighing heavily, he got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to shower and get dressed.

When he got to his brother's bedroom, Germany was sitting on the floor, waiting impatiently. "All right, West, let's get you dressed." Prussia helped his little brother into his thermal underwear and winter clothes, buttoning his little coat and tying a scarf securely around his neck. Germany's coat was a bit long on him, and his fingers barely poked out of the sleeves. Prussia couldn't help but smile- he did, after all, have the cutest little brother in the world.

Germany laughed and shrieked as he ran out in the snow, and Prussia couldn't help but catch his enthusiasm. The snow made everything look like a magical whipped cream world, and Prussia remembered when he was Germany's age and Old Fritz would take him sledding and have snowball fights with him. Prussia tried to follow his mentor's example in taking care of Germany. _I hope I make you proud, Fritz,_ he thought, looking up at the sky. _And I hope that when Germany grows up, he remembers me as a nice big brother who took good care of him._

"Big bruder, help me make a snowman!" Germany's little hand tugging at his sleeve pulled Prussia out of his silent, reminiscent reverie, and Prussia looked down at him and smiled. "All right, West, we are going to make the most awesome snowman the world has ever seen!"

Prussia showed Germany how to make snowballs and roll them until they got bigger and bigger and bigger, and his yellow pet Gilbird flew around and gathered sticks for the snowman's arms. Prussia wrapped his scarf around their creation's "neck", and he and Germany stood back to admire their work.

"Awesome, kid." Prussia held his hand low and Germany slapped it happily and jumped into his brother's arms. "Now how 'bout some hot chocolate?" Germany nodded and Prussia carried him inside and started boiling some water.

Christmas Eve came sooner than they thought. For Germany, every dragged-out minute grew longer and more strenuous until his excitement peaked into the night that was the very pinnacle of impatience for children across the globe. But for Prussia, it passed more swiftly every year.

Germany was still and obedient during the church service that night, which was a relief to Prussia, who had always been terrible about sitting through services himself as a child. When they got home, Germany was running around the house, a little sugar-high from all the Christmas treats he had been eating, and Prussia laughed as the child ran circles around him and begged him to let him stay up all night and watch for Saint Nicholas.

" _Nein, kleiner bruder,"_ Prussia told him, "Saint Nicholas will only come if you're asleep." He picked him up and carried him to bed, making sure he actually _did_ fall asleep. He remembered very well what it was like to be a child on Christmas Eve. Finally the kid's eyelids drooped shut and his little face relaxed in slumber. Prussia planted a kiss on Germany's forehead. "Merry Christmas, my little Deutschland."


	3. Sick

Prussia awoke to the distinct sound of a child softly crying. Blinking and rubbing his eyes, he slowly sat up. _Germany must've had a nightmare, poor kid,_ he thought, and sure enough, his little brother was standing across from his bed, tears running down his cheeks. But this wasn't his typical "nightmare" look. His cheeks were bright red and puffed out, and his pajama shirt… oh dear. Germany had thrown up.

Prussia sighed and got out of bed, kneeling to Germany's eye level and pushing his sweaty bangs out of his forehead. "You sick, West?" he asked softly, and the child nodded pitifully in reply. There was no puddle of vomit on the floor, so Prussia scooped his little brother up and checked the bathroom. "I flushed," Germany said weakly. That was a relief, at least he'd thrown up in the toilet.

"We need to get you changed, West," Prussia sighed, looking at Germany's stained shirt. He sat him down on the bathroom counter and went in the child's room to get a fresh change of clothes. Germany didn't say much, just let his older brother take his shirt off him and replace it with a clean one. But the poor kid still had hot tears rolling down his face. Prussia wiped them off with the corner of his sleeve and stroked his little brother's hair soothingly. "Don't worry, little bro, big brother's gonna take care of you and make sure you get all better, okay?"

Germany sniffled and nodded, and Prussia ran a washcloth under cool water and washed his little brother's face. "Have you been sick all night?" he asked, feeling the child's hot forehead. "How long were you throwing up before you came to get me?"

"Well, my tummy hurt," Germany sobbed, "but I didn't want to wake you up, because I knew you had to work, so I didn't get you at first. But then I had to throw up, and I just felt so sick, I'm sorry, big bruder, I should have stayed-"

" _Nein."_ Prussia cut him off right there. "Next time you're sick, West, you come to me right away, you understand? I will never be mad at you for something that isn't your fault, I just want my _kleiner bruder_ to feel better. No matter what time it is, if you think you need to wake me up, you do so."

Germany nodded obediently but wondered aloud, "But what about work?"

Prussia chuckled as he got out some children's Tylenol. "Do you think I'm gonna set one foot out of this house when my baby brother is sick? Don't worry about me, West, I'll always take care of you." He poured the correct dosage of medicine in the little plastic cup and looked his brother in the eye. "Now, do you think you could keep this down? It's only a little bit, and you need it for your fever, but I don't want you to get sick to your stomach again."

Germany thought for a moment and slowly took the cup from Prussia's hand, sipping it and coughing a little. _"Ja,"_ he whispered, handing it back. "Could I go to bed now?"

"Not to _your_ bed," Prussia answered. He picked Germany up and carried him into his room, laying him down in the large adult bed and gently covering him up. "I'm keeping you right here with me." He got in with his little brother and held him to his chest. Germany's little eyelids were already drooping.

"But what if… what if you get sick?" Germany asked sleepily.

"Don't worry, West, I'm too awesome to get sick."

And Germany believed him, until the next day when Prussia woke up puking into the toilet.


	4. Setting Goals

_Wham!_ The black-and-white ball made a satisfying sound as it hit the inside of the goal. Prussia smiled proudly. Even Spain, who took great pride in his football skills, had to admit that Prussia was the "awesomest" footballer around. Little Germany would agree. He sat outside smiling and clapping for Prussia any time he basically did anything.

France, Spain, England, Japan, and China hoisted Prussia up on their shoulders. Their star player's goal had just won them the game against Russia, Poland, Switzerland, Egypt, Greece, and Cuba. Germany shrieked with excitement, and America, Canada, and even Spain's grumpy little underling Romano, clapped for their older brothers. Germany got to have the pleasure of pouring an icy sports drink on his brother's head, and Prussia laughed and picked him up.

It was around that time that a young girl with black hair and almond-shaped brown eyes stepped up with a microphone, two men filming behind her. "Hello," she greeted cheerfully, "I'm Taiwan. Would you like to say a few words about the game, Mr. Prussia?"

Prussia cocked his head and winked, giving Taiwan a tilted half-smile. "Anything for you, babe." Germany, meanwhile, was very shy around cameras and strangers, and hid behind Prussia's legs, listening to Prussia speak. "All I gotta say is, to my team, stay awesome!"

After a few moments Taiwan left, her phone number in blue ink on Prussia's toned arm. Germany tugged on the edge of his jersey and Prussia bent down, hands on his knees, to face his little brother. "What's up, West?" he asked affectionately, ruffling the child's hair.

"Can you…" Germany swung his arms back and forth shyly. "Can you teach me how to play football?"

"Sure thing, kid!" Prussia swung his little brother onto his shoulder and headed for the car. "We've got a ball and a goal at home, that's all we need for practice."

When the two brothers got home from the game, Prussia dug up one of his old footballs and pumped some air into it. He took Germany into the backyard and frowned. His little brother was small enough to use the ball as a chair, which was adorable, but not very good to play with correctly. He thought for a minute and ran inside, promising little Germany that he'd be back out in a moment.

Prussia came back with a much smaller football and smiled. "This is what I started out with, when I was about your age," he explained, setting the ball down.

"Wow," said Germany, his eyes growing wide, "that was a _looong_ time ago."

Prussia chuckled. "Sure was. Now, let's get down to business, shall we?" He placed the ball a couple feet in front of Germany and decided to assess which of his little brother's feet was more accurate. "Don't kick it with your toe," he instructed, "you'll hurt yourself. "For an accurate shot, you kick it with the side of your foot, like this." Prussia demonstrated with the larger ball, using the inside of his right foot to land it in the goal. "Can you try that, West?"

Germany nodded and looked at the goal for a moment before attempting to emulate what his brother had done. It went straight enough but never reached the goal. "I missed," he whispered, sticking his lower lip out in a pout.

"It's all right," Prussia assured him, handing the ball back to him. "No one can be awesome at it at first, it takes practice. Now, let's move you a little closer to the goal, and when you master that, you can start kicking for farther away."

" _Ja!"_ Germany kicked again, hitting the goal this time. "Awesome, little bro!" Prussia gave Germany a high five and walked him to the middle of the yard. "Now, let's work on dribbling, okay?" Germany nodded enthusiastically and Prussia explained and demonstrated the process to him before giving him a shot at it. The footwork confused the little boy at first, but Prussia knew that he'd figure it out soon enough.

When they were ready to come in, Prussia handed Germany the little ball. "You earned it today, West," he told him proudly, putting a hand on his little brother's shoulder. "This football is yours now?"

"Really?" Germany's eyes widened.

" _Ja._ It's all your own now, kid."

Germany's face lit up with excitement and he jumped into Prussia's arms. _"Danke, bruder!"_ he exclaimed, and Prussia smiled. "How 'bout we play again tomorrow?"

To Germany, that sounded like a pretty good plan.


	5. How To Be A Man

When Germany woke up, Prussia was still asleep. His older brother had a lot of work to do last night, and Germany knew he was exhausted. He wondered if there was something he could do for Prussia. Usually the older German brother had breakfast already made and was usually shaving or showering. That was it! Germany would be the big brother today and make breakfast and shave. He'd be all grown-up and awesome, just like Prussia.

He didn't really know how to make much, just toast, and he wasn't exactly an accomplished toast cook. Oh, well. Anything he made would be better than England's food, right? He put two slices of bread and the toaster and tried to figure out how to make coffee.

Prussia usually boiled water. He tried to fill the coffee pot with water but it was hard when he couldn't reach the sink. He climbed onto the counter and turned the sink on, standing in the other side of it. At last it was filled (perhaps it was overflowing just a tad), and he crawled to the stove and placed the pot on it, turning on the heat. He jumped down and just then the toast popped out. It was a little bit black, but maybe that was how toast was supposed to look. It was really hard; good and sturdy, Germany figured.

Now it was time to shave. He wasn't exactly sure why Prussia shaved; it must just be something men did. Germany stood up a little straighter. Today, he would be a man. He went into the bathroom to get out Prussia's shaving cream and razor, but he couldn't see himself in the mirror above the sink. Darn his child height! He jumped and jumped but still couldn't reach it. He heaved a sigh of frustration. He supposed he'd just have to climb up on the counter again.

Sitting on the edge of the bathroom sink, Germany could see himself perfectly now. He took the can of shaving cream and frowned at it. He'd never really used it before. Oh well, he'd just spray it all over himself. He started spraying, using the other hand to protect his eyes, and soon realized just how much fun it was. He got a little carried away with it, spraying a happy face on the mirror and watching in delight as he made clouds of the foamy substance that fell through the air.

Finally he remembered the task at hand. He grabbed the razor and started removing the cream. He winced as he felt one sharp pain after the other, unintentionally making several little cuts along his face. At last, in tears now, he washed his face off and saw that he was bleeding. Well, that was just great.

The coffee water started whistling, and Germany sighed. Being a man was hard work. He walked into the kitchen, forgetting about his bleeding face, and tried to pour his brother a cup of coffee. He spilled a little, and his hand got a little burned. Whimpering, he looked in the cup. It didn't look that good, but he supposed that nothing looked quite as spectacular as TV made it seem. He put the toast on a plate and carried it with the coffee into Prussia's bedroom. "Big bruder," he asked softly, "are you awake?"

Prussia sat up slowly and blinked, rubbing the sleep out of his rheumy eyes. "Hey, West, what-" His eyes widened as he saw Germany's injured cheeks. "West, did you try to shave?"

Germany nodded, tears filling his eyes. "I was trying to be just like you," he sniffled, and handed Prussia the plate. "I- I made you breakfast."

Prussia smiled and took the toast and coffee. _"Danke,_ West," he said, taking a bite out of the blackened toast. He tried not to wince and sipped at his…hot water with coffee grounds. "Awesome, little brother," he told him, ruffling his hair. Sadly, Germany stayed, so he'd have to consume the rest of the culinary abomination. Oh, well.

"You know, West, you'll grow up and have to shave and stuff soon enough. For now, just enjoy being little, _ja?"_

" _Ja!"_ Germany smiled, relieved. It was much easier, he decided, to be a child.


	6. Author's Note

A/N: Hey guys, just so you know I haven't put complete on this story because I'll probably add another chapter now and then between stories, since I could really make this an ongoing thing. So I haven't left.


	7. The One About Gilbird

"What can I do to get you to go to sleep, West?" Prussia asked tiredly. Germany was kneeling in his bed, playing with the blankets. Even Prussia would normally be asleep right now if Germany would just close those little eyes. But no, his little brother had determined to be as annoying as possible tonight.

"Nothing." Germany gave a devious little grin and a somewhat delirious giggle. "I'm _wiiide_ awake!" He waited for a while before tapping on his brother's shoulder. "Prussia?" he asked softly, giving him sad eyes.

"What is it, West?"

Germany looked thoughtful for a moment but suddenly brightened. "It's night!" he giggled, and clapped, pleased with himself. It took every ounce of restraint Prussia had left not to strangle the kid.

"You have to go to sleep, West, or I'll never go to work on time!" Prussia exclaimed in frustration, practically in tears now. "Is there _anything_ I can do to get you to sleep? Anything at all."

Germany tapped his chin, taking advantage of his brother's desperate situation. Finally he whispered innocently, "Can you tell me a story?"

Prussia rubbed his temples; his eyes were bloodshot. "Sure, kid, what do you want to hear, _Hansel and Gretel?"_

Germany shook his head firmly. "That one has a scary witch in it. I don't like scary witches. Tell me… tell me how you got Gilbird," he decided, looking at the yellow bird who lived primarily on Prussia's head.

Prussia smiled. He loved his little bird. "All right then," he said, laying Germany's little blonde head on his chest. "Let's see, I was about your age…"

PRUSSIA'S POV

Vati and I were walking in the yard, I had my brand-new wooden sword he made for me and was swinging it around like a little barbarian. The fall leaves crunched under my feet, which was fun so I kept jumping on them until I noticed something on the ground by my favorite tree. "Vati, come look, it's a little baby birdie!" I exclaimed, bouncing excitedly. Real wildlife, right in my front yard! And it was so cute and tiny and I would raise it on my own and it would take walks with me or maybe fly me around, if that was possible-

(Germany's interruption: Birds can't fly you, bruder.

Prussia: I know _now._ I was little then.

Germany: I _never_ thought birds could fly people.

Prussia: Shut up and listen to the story.)

Anyway, _as I was saying…_ I watched as Vati picked up the bird and sighed. "Prussia, this bird fell out of the nest," he told me, and bent down to look me in the eye. "Look, little Prussia, I didn't want to have to do this so soon, but I have to tell you… but birds that fall out of their nests don't usually live very long."

My eyes welled with tears as I looked down at my feathered friend. "That doesn't mean he'll die for sure!" I insisted, too attached to the baby bird already to lose him. "Please, Vati, we have to try to help him!"

"I know," Vati told me, "and we will, but just don't give your hopes up, Prussia. Baby birds are very fragile."

I nodded, wiping my eyes on my sleeve, and Vati helped me bring the little bird inside and called a vet to see what we should feed him. While he was on the phone, I decided to comfort the little guy. "Hey," I waved to him, "I'm Prussia, or, Gilbert Beilschmidt. What's your name?"

"Peep," he answered, looking up at me. I decided to translate it into Gilbird.

(Germany's interruption: YOU KNOW BIRD LANGUAGE?!

Prussia: Sure do, kid. I can tell you anything Gilbird is saying.

Germany: Wow.)

"Anyways," concluded Prussia, "that's how I found the little guy. And he's been my little buddy ever since."

Germany smiled, satisfied with his brother's tale, but one thing bothered him. "But Prussia? Aren't _I_ your little buddy?"

Prussia winced. He didn't mean to hurt his little brother. _"Ja,_ of course, West… but you're also so much more. You're my whole heart."

Germany grinned, content with his answer, and snuggled up against Prussia's chest, listening to the soothing beat of his steady pulse. _His whole heart._ That was pretty amazing to Germany, who figured that his perfect big brother had the biggest heart in the whole world. _Maybe someday,_ he thought as he fell asleep, _I'll be big enough to fit into my role._


	8. Safe and Sound

Prussia sighed as another deafening clap of thunder erupted in the sky. It was hard to get any work done when he was interrupted by the gunshots of nature every two seconds. He rubbed his temples, squinting down at the paper as he scanned over line after tedious line. At least now he had West fed and in bed, but he was tired himself and wanted more than anything to snuggle under his blankets and fall asleep like his lucky little brother.

But it turned out that Germany wasn't in bed after all. He felt a sudden tug at his sleeve and looked down to meet two wide, baby-blue eyes that threatened to spill over with tears. The child reached his arms up and of course, Prussia was defenseless against his little brother's sad eyes. He lifted him up and sat him in his lap, facing him.

"What's wrong, West?" he asked softly, stroking his little brother's soft blonde hair. "Are you all right? Did you have a bad dream? What's keeping you up?"

He got his answer when another crack of thunder sent Germany burying his now tear-soaked face into Prussia's stomach. The child's fingers clutched at him mercilessly, and the little body shook with terror. West was afraid of storms.

"Aw, West," Prussia whispered, holding his brother close to his heartbeat, knowing that would soothe him, "are you scared of the thunder?"

A pitiful, "M-hm", followed by a whimper and a sniffle, was his reply. Prussia remembered when he was Germany's age, and Fritz or Germania would calm his fears during a storm. The loud sound was upsetting to a child Germany's age, and Prussia's little brother was especially timid.

Prussia wished he could stop the thunder that made his little brother afraid. The thought that anything should dare upset his precious Germany made him angry, but unfortunately, even as awesome as he was, he wasn't God. He couldn't control the weather.

He _could_ distract the child, though. He remembered when he was scared or sick or hurting, and Fritz would sing to him. Stroking his baby brother's back as he carried him back to bed, Prussia sang softly. "Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be all right, no one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound…"

He continued to sing as he tucked Germany into bed and turned on his nightlight. The child's breathing grew soft and relaxed as fatigue began to overtake his little body, and with his big brother there to protect him, he grew calm and let his heavy eyelids droop.

Prussia brushed away Germany's bangs and kissed his forehead. He was about to leave, but he heard a soft voice say, "Bruder?"

Prussia turned back and saw that Germany's eyes were open again. "What is it, West?" he asked gently.

"Will you hold me tonight?"

There was nothing in Prussia that could say no to that little voice. His miniscule amount of paperwork left could wait until the morning. "Of course, West," he said, smiling, and climbed into the small bed. Germany's little body wiggled itself toward his brother and he laid his head on Prussia's chest, soothed by his pulse.

The bed was made for a child, and Prussia was uncomfortable, he was hot due to the blankets and his brother's body heat, and he had some insomnia from all the coffee he'd drank earlier that day, but nonetheless he was more than happy to hold his baby brother. After all, Germany wouldn't be little forever.


	9. A Cold Day in Hell

Prussia smiled as he read the sign that said "Welcome to Atlanta" ahead in the window. Germany was happily sitting shotgun, sucking on a lollipop. "We're in Atlantis, big bruder!" he crowed, his eyes wide and shining.

Prussia chuckled. "Not Atlantis, West, _Atlanta._ It's one of the cities Mr. America owns." He was off work for the summer (cue choir rendition of "Hallelujah") and decided to take Germany on his first summer vacation. America let him come over to his place for a while, and told him about a pretty cool aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia that he and Germany might enjoy. Now the two brothers were on the way, and Germany was wiggling with happy anticipation.

They had a hotel room in St. Augustine, Florida, but drove up today to see the aquarium. Prussia parked the vehicle and after lines that practically seemed longer than the distance from New York City to Shanghai, they started on their tour.

Prussia got to pet a stingray, which he'd always wanted to do. Germany was afraid to touch one, a little hesitant to trust that the creatures' stingers had really been removed, but he was thrilled to watch them and proud that his awesome big brother had the guts to pet one.

They saw beluga whales, which made little Germany laugh hysterically because he'd never seen white whales before, and he found them extremely amusing. When he saw the dolphins, he automatically pressed his face to the glass and shrieked with delight. The whale sharks sent him hiding behind Prussia's legs, but the sawfish fascinated them and Prussia let the little nation use his phone to take picture after picture.

But Germany's favorite, by far, had to be the penguins. The little birds reminded him of Gilbird, and they were so cute and fluffy and they didn't attack him when he petted them. He spent forever at the exhibit, but finally Prussia was feeling hungry enough to die and told him, "Time to get out of the penguin tunnel, West. There are other people waiting, but hey, we're getting lunch at the Varsity and America says that place is awesome."

"Please, just a few more minutes?" begged Germany, his face falling.

"Sorry, West, but just give the little bird one more pet and then follow me, 'kay?"

Germany nodded obediently and Prussia heard an electronic beeping. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocking the screen to read a text. "You get there safe?- America". He smiled and typed back, "Yeah, got there hours ago, now I'm headed to lunch. Thanks, man, stay awesome. (:". He put his phone back and got Germany.

The brothers had a nice lunch and Germany thanked him for everything, but as they got back into the car to head back to Florida for the night, Prussia felt like something was off with his little brother. Germany was a quiet kid, but he usually spoke more than this, and after something that had made him as excited as the aquarium he normally would have talked a _lot._

After about an hour of Germany being completely silent Prussia grew concerned and pulled off onto a side road. "West, are you okay?" he asked softly. "I haven't heard a word out of you the whole trip back."

"I-" Germany's voice faltered and then he replied timidly, "I have a penguin in my backpack."

 _Screeeeech…!_ "You WHAT?! Mein gott, West!" Prussia pulled over and made a sudden stop that made Germany's sensitive little tummy do backflips.

Germany handed Prussia his green backpack and opened it to reveal that, sure enough, there was a tiny penguin who was miraculously still alive. Prussia closed his eyes and prayed that when he reopened them, the penguin would be gone, just an optical illusion. But when he looked again, there was the bird, peeping happily. Prussia held his forehead in shock. Out of all the things his normally well-behaved brother could do, he never would have guessed that he would have stolen a penguin.

"West, _why?"_

Tears filled Germany's eyes and he replied sadly, "It kept looking at me, Prussia, and I felt so sad to leave it, and you have a bird so I thought-"

 _Ho, boy._ Prussia ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, brushing Germany's hair out of his face. "You see, West, Gilbird is not a penguin. He can live in our sorts of temperatures. But penguins… they don't take it that well. He could die if he's out of his habitat much longer. At the aquarium he has a fun icy home with his fellow penguins and nice people who take care of him. If you didn't want to leave this little guy, imagine how much they must miss him at his home."

Germany understood now. He would miss the little penguin, but he wanted him to be happy, and he _certainly_ didn't want him to die. "I guess I have to take you back to you home now," he told the penguin, "but I'll miss you."

Prussia smiled and ruffled Germany's hair. "Good boy, West," he said. "If you want a pet bird so much I can get you a more ideal one. Now, let's get this little guy back home." And he turned the wheel and prepared for the drive back to the aquarium. It looked like Germany would get to see the penguin tunnel again after all. Heck, he might even decide he wanted to pet a stingray!

 **(A/N: As crazy as this story sounds, it's based on a true one. A friend's little brother actually smuggled a penguin out of the Georgia Aquarium in a backpack XD)**


	10. Germany's First Plane Ride

_Mein gott, it's three in the morning!_ Prussia gave a small moan of agony but reluctantly heaved himself out of bed. Germany hadn't gotten in bed with him last night, thank God. Prussia reached for the suitcase on his floor and walked out to the car. He popped it in the trunk, shivering in the cold of pre-dawn morning. As soon as he got back inside he prepared some coffee while he got dressed and shaved.

He accidentally cut himself in his hurry and was holding a towel to his face with one hand while lightly shaking Germany's shoulder with the other. "West," he whispered, "it's time to wake up."

The little boy mumbled something and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and blinking. Prussia kept holding the towel to his injured cheek, running a comb through his brother's blonde locks with the other hand. He had put Germany in his airport outfit the previous night because dressing a child that young could sometimes be a hassle, and Germany tended to be a little wiggle-worm.

Especially this morning. "Plane, Pwussia, aiwplane!" he cheered, jumping up and down happily. Germany loved planes, but it was his first time getting to ride on one and he could hardly contain his excitement and impatience. He was flying with Prussia to meet France and Spain, since of course Prussia could hardly leave him home alone.

"Yes, Germany, plane," Prussia agreed tiredly, taking a few sips of coffee. "Do you have your backpack?" Germany nodded, holding up said item. "All right then, let's go." He scooped his little brother up in his arms and carried him to the car.

In the airport, Prussia was a tired, nervous wreck. He had to get Germany not to climb onto the baggage claim, no matter how fun it looked to ride, and explain to him that his suitcase was not being taken away forever. It sure was hard, raising a nation.

At last they were seated on the airplane, Germany at the window seat, all buckled in. Prussia leaned back with his hands behind his head, hoping to get some sleep, but that wasn't happening with his little brother beside him. "Pwussia, look! I can almost reach my legs to the seat in fwont of me!" he declared, stretching out to his full extent.

"Very awesome," Prussia murmured, closing his eyes.

"Pwussia, Pwussia, aren't you going to wear a seat belt?"

Prussia opened his eyes only to roll them. _"Ja,_ West, when the plane starts _moving."_

"When is _that?"_

Prussia had a headache. "When you be quiet, and patient," he told his little brother.

Germany crossed his arms. "I don't think that's how it works."

"Just let me rest, 'kay?" Prussia re-shut his eyes, only to have them startled open again by a sudden, "Passengers, we are preparing for takeoff, please buckle your seat belts, secure your tray table, personal items under the seat in front of you and carryon bags in the overhead bins."

"YAYYY!" Germany hollered.

Prussia shot him a warning glance. "West, you have to be quiet on the plane, okay?"

Germany stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "But I can't hear myself above the airplane noise. Why do I have to be quiet, big bruder?"

"Because _some_ people try to _sleep_ on planes," Prussia replied, but of course Germany didn't get the hint.

"I wouldn't want to sleep!" he insisted as the plane reached the desired altitude. "Look, big bwuder, all the land is squares!"

Prussia sighed and tried to remember when he was Germany's age and this was exciting to him as well. "Ja, that is pretty awesome." He chuckled and ruffled his little brother's hair.

A stewardess came by, flirted with Prussia, and gave Germany extra juice and cookies because he was "just too cute". At last the atmosphere was more peaceful and Prussia realized why as he looked to his right. Germany was sound asleep.

Prussia grinned. Now he could finally go to sleep as well! The only problem was, the coffee he'd had earlier was beginning to kick in and now he was just awake enough to be miserably tired. He looked over at Germany again, sighing this time as he thought, _I wish_ I _was still a kid._


	11. What's Wrong With Prussia?

When Germany woke up he sensed that something was not right. He didn't know why, but something in his tummy told him that not everything was as it should be. He couldn't think of what it was, however, until he tried to get some cereal out of the pantry.

Prussia stacked everything high, or at least high for Germany's little child body. And that's when it hit the young nation- Prussia wasn't up yet. Prussia was always, _always_ awake at this time, because he had to be the big brother and take care of Germany and make sure he was fed and got to school on time. Today, however, Germany was pretty sure he was already late and his big brother still wasn't in the kitchen, the living room, or the bathroom.

Germany walked over to Prussia's bedroom and pressed his face up to the door. Being quiet and light, he was a good little eavesdropper. He listened close and thought he heard sniffling. _Prussia must have a cold!_ He thought, and tried to think of what Prussia did for him when he was sick. He gave him medicine, but Germany couldn't reach the medicine cabinet.

Germany figured he'd just go check on his brother. If Prussia was sick he might just need some comfort. Germany opened the door, not thinking to knock, and was met with a big surprise.

Prussia was sitting on his bed in his work clothes, but not looking like he had any intention of getting work done. His knees were drawn to his chest and he hugged them with his hands, only lifting one when he needed to wipe his nose on his sleeve. But Prussia wasn't ill. He was crying.

Germany didn't know what to do. He had never, _ever_ seen his big brother cry before. He thought Prussia _didn't_ cry- he was too awesome, after all. But now tears were streaming down his poor brother's face and Germany felt a pain in his chest at the sight of his Prussia so sad. Finally, after a small, choked, "Hallo, West," from Prussia, he ran and snuggled next to his brother, reaching for a box of tissues on the nightstand and handing one to him.

Prussia sniffed and wiped his eyes and nose with one, crumpling it up and tossing it into his wastebasket. Germany remembered that sometimes when he was the one crying Prussia would stroke his hair, so he reached up and petted his brother's white locks. "Pwussia, what's wrong?" he asked helplessly.

"I…" Prussia paused and sighed. Maybe it would help him get through his pain if he talked about it. "There was a time long ago, West, before you can remember, when I had the best mentor in the world. His name was King Frederick of Prussia, but I called him Fritz even though he was my boss. I felt the same way for him that you feel for me."

Germany was astonished. He didn't think someone as perfect and awesome as Prussia could have a hero. But he supposed maybe everyone did.

"Anyway, Fritz died when I was still a pretty young nation," Prussia went on, and Germany thought that his voice sounded very thick and strained. "I got through it over time, but today was his birthday, and sometimes, I just get… really sad."

Wow. Germany's father died when he was a baby, so he could never remember losing somebody he loved. Poor Prussia, no wonder he was crying. "I'm sorry, Pwussia," he whispered as Prussia sniffled into another tissue. "I wish you still had Fritz."

"Me too, West, me too." Prussia scooped up his little brother in his arms and held to him like a scared child would hold onto a stuffed animal.

The brothers were silent for a moment, and then Germany whispered, "I think Fritz is proud of you, big bruder. I bet he's smiling at you right now, because you're such a good big bruder to me. You became someone's hero, just like he did." He smiled and snuggled his head into Prussia's chest.

Prussia felt his throat tighten again, but this time it was with joy. What did he do to deserve a little brother like Germany? He supposed he was simply an unmerited blessing. He looked up to the sky. _Thank you, God,_ he said silently. _And Fritz, is West right? Are you proud?_

And he could almost feel Fritz right there beside him, nodding his affirmation. "You bet I am, lad."


End file.
